The JCM Sign
Jack is a sophomore at the University of North Florida who joined the JCM community last year. Something that most people might not know about Jack is that he actually came to the University of North Florida “largely because I saw the JCM sign.”
Before even arriving on campus, Jack began researching JCM. As he put it, “I didn’t even tour the other school because I knew I wanted to go here.”
But even though finding a welcoming Christian community was one of his goals in coming to UNF, it would still take several months before Jack found the courage to join us.
“It took me until October to come because I was really nervous.”
This is a sentiment echoed by many of our students. Joining a new community can be intimidating, especially a Christian community. Many of the students who find their way to JCM have experienced hurt or exclusion in Christian spaces before. Those experiences can make taking the first step toward a campus ministry feel especially difficult.
Jack's first JCM event was the weekly Queer Bible Study, and he has been a regular part of the community ever since.
He brings thoughtful insight to conversations, drawing both from his own lived experience and his observations of the world around him. At JCM, we encourage students to encounter scripture from diverse perspectives and to see themselves within the stories they read. Jack brings so much to those conversations.
“I’ve talked with Mother Sarah about how I don’t feel as religious as other people, and she reassured me I shouldn’t compare myself to people.”
At JCM, we believe students do not need to be experts in systematic theology or even certain about what they believe to have valuable thoughts, questions, and experiences to share. In fact, so many of our students are fantastic theologians without even realizing it. And as Mother Sarah reminded Jack, “We’re all equal.”
Over time, Jack began to find not only community at JCM, but also space to explore his own faith and understanding of what God was doing in his life.
Jack was baptized by Mother Sarah this past Easter morning.
Because of the generosity of people like you, students like Jack have a place where they can ask questions, build relationships, explore faith, and grow at their own pace. Your support makes it possible for JCM to create spaces where students who may initially be nervous to walk through the door can discover that they are welcome and that they belong.
For Jack, JCM was part of the reason he chose this university. This past Easter, it became the community where he was called to take the next step in his faith and be baptized.